The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-04-02
THE CHAmBER OF COMMERCE.
sAlsLAke City, UsAh.

In this issue of THE HERALD will be
found a numerously signed call for 3
meeting of business men of the city to
be held III the Federal Court room this
evening. The object Of tie meeting is
to take the initiative in the matter of
organizing a chamber Of commerce
and board Of trade.
at the outset The HERALD will con-
fess that it has very little faith in the
success of the undertaking. We would
not be understood by this as throw
ing cold water" on the scheme, or sas
uttl ring discouraging word or voiciDg
an unfrieudly sentiment. On the con-
trsry The HERALD is heart and soul in
favgI of the project as proposed and
outlined by those post earnest and
most active in the matter. Years ago
this journal appealed for just such an
organization as is now contemplated.
We urged the coming together Of the
business men into a harmonious union
bent on working for the best interests,
materially, of this city and Territory.
Our efforts, seconded and Endorsed as
they were by many of the conservative
men of veal and influence, were
without avail. The bitter partisan
feeling which existed then, entered all
phases of local life, extending to
religion and politics, and going into
business and society. 1t could not
then be overcome, and it drove men
apart in all they did. What one side
held to be wrong the other applauded
as right; what one urged as essential to
the welfare and prosperity of the city.
the other declared must not be per
mittsd; one desired peace, the other
would not have peace because it
fattezed On discord. We see nothing
which indicates that the discordent. in
harmonious elements of eight. ten or
twelve years ago have departed or
been softened; to:sll outward appear
Rnee the feeling is as bitter as ever,
and there is nothing to snow
that classes are closer together to-day
than they have been at any time since
1t became the custom to denounce as a
Jack-Rormon-and traitor to the "ioyaI
cause" any non-Mormon who. dared
say that peace and prosperity would
come only when the community buried
its partisan hates and united in working
for the good Of the city and Territory.
If there has been change none viii re-
joice more heartily than We. If our
business men. our merchants, bankers,
mill and mine owners and our capital
lists have at last come to their senses,
and have finally realized that this in
fernal, this infamous agitation is not
only retarding the development and
progress of Utah, but is ruinous to in
dividuals, we will throw high our
hats. and making merry with the
masses, SO in with will to help
achieve the greatness (which should
have been Utah's long years ago.
a board of trade, q chamber of COM.
merce made up of the men who own and
control the material wealth of the Terri
tory, is what We need. Such. an or
ganization, rightly conducted, can be
all-powerful in its influence for good.
1t can check, if not put stop to the
cruel sensationaEsm which has caused
the world to regard Utah IS sert of
bear garden upon which it may do to
gaze, bat into which it will not be safe
to venture. It IAN inaugurate and main.
tain the only Ind of boom which
Utah wants boom built upon the
solid foundation of our glorious climate,
oar rich mines, car fruitful soil, our
honest and industrious people, the law
abiding character of the commu.
nifty, and the absolute safety
of =, xson and property within the
borders Of the Territory. If our in
fuential men, Mormons and Gentiles,
will forget the bitter antagonism which
makes personal enemies of those who
cannot agree in matters OF politics
religion and Law, and will pull together
for Utah ,sKe can have chamber OF
commensurate VIII soon De recognized
as the benefactor and SAVIOR Of dis
turbed and distressed Utah. But we
fear this cannot or will no: be possible.
The bitterness is so bitter, the hatred
so intense, that We fear they cannot be
smothered in day. However, let the
trial be made in good faith. Let us
learn if the years of senseless strife apd
contention have brought wisdom to the
hot heads and intelligence to the
fanatics. But right here let us utter 8
word of caution. There are some men
in this community whose careers as
agita -trs, as strife breeders and SEN
sation makers have made it impossible
for tbe better element to associate with